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sidewalklabs / dtpr

Open source components from the Digital Transparency in the Public Realm project
https://sidewalklabs.com/dtpr/
Apache License 2.0
65 stars 19 forks source link

Request: new channel type: #PhysicalWeb #2

Open rektide opened 5 years ago

rektide commented 5 years ago

Rather than having to a) spot signs, b) move over to them, c) break out a qr app, d) scan the QR code, as a user in an environment, I would like to be able to have an ambient awareness of the digital offerings in my environment from one or many digital systems (perhaps an application, or integrated in OS itself as, for example, an easily viewable without interaction notification), that lets me directly browse & enter into the digital experience for these digitally transparent systems.

The best way I can think to enable digitally transparent devices to exhibit themselves digitally would be use of the Physical Web specification, which could enable digitally transparent systems to issue a publicly-viewable, standards-based broadcast or beacon containing a URL for the system.

This would allow me as a user to a) become aware of all the digitally transparent devices in my environment automatically, consistently, b) prevent me from having to move over to the system's QR code to begin dealing with it, c) give me freedom and accessibility in picking how to initiate communications, d) potentially give me an interaction free overview of what is offered (for example, in earlier versions of Android, #PhysicalWeb beacons used to be visible from the lock screen, making entry into their experience one touch away).

I hope dtpr can seize this wonderful means for the digital to express itself in the physical as a natural, accessible digital channel for connecting to digitally transparent systems. Please consider adding a digital channel for initiating communications over Physical Web. Thank you.

patrickkeenan commented 5 years ago

Hi rektide, I love the idea. As we started the project, we looked into beacons and physical web. It's seems nearby notifications became a spam vector, and didn't really get the traction we all hoped. That said, I totally agree it would be ideal to know this information without having to see a sign, or snap a QR code.

Would you be up for working to showcase how your solution might work? At minimum, I think a map would be nice.